Photo Managers

[Keith]

What programs do you use to manage and view photos? I usually use windows thumbnails to find what I want, but I am thinking of trying something better. Any experience with Picasa (http://picasa.google.com/)? Or what is the name of the one that comes with Adobe products?

Anything else that you like or use?

[AndreaB]

I really like Picasa...especially since you can view your RAW files through it as well, not to mention label your pictures or hide folders and such that you don't want to bother scrolling through.

[Amanda J.]

I use Picasa too. I really like their search function.

I've heard of people using "acdsee" for managing pictures. It costs money though and Picasa is free!

HTH!

[Ursula Page]

I also use Picasa but just for viewing, finding and emailing pictures. I use PS for all picture changes.

[iNancy]

I use what used to be Jasc Photo Album, but now is bought out by Corel. I got it years ago free after rebate, and now since all my indexing is done through the program, I'm still using it. I think the indexing on most programs is proprietary, so it keeps you loyal. Choose wisely, then...

[April]

I just heard about acdsee this week. Jessica, Erin and Becky told me about it and seemed to think it was the best.

[ErinBoBerin]

I personally don't care for picassa. It's been a year since I tried working with it so I don't really remember what I didn't like, but I think it's the way it sorted the folders. I've tried using the bridge in Photoshop and it really slowed down my computer so I don't use it anymore either.

I've been using ACDsee for a couple of weeks now and I love it. I'm using it organize all of my scrapping supplies and it's great! I don't really organize my photos though because I tend to scrap them as I take them. I've just started sorting through all my heritage photos though, so when I start scanning I'm sure I'll be doing some organizing.

The best plan I think is to try picassa out for a little while since it's free. If you like it, great, and if not go for ACDsee.

[blmcewan]

Ok, small PUN intended! I've been using ACDSee for years now, took a look at Picassa, not so much at Adobe Bridge (. . .YET) or the catalog application with PSE.

BUT ACDSee, especially starting with version 8+, really has some cool features like multi folder selecting for previewing, sizeable thumbnails, automation tasks (batch renaming, resizing among the most common) and if you have some web space, you can in just a few mouse clicks create your own web album to upload. (Although I just did a quick review of other online web galleries and as usual Google has a pretty good web album service now)

And yes, it also has tagging or categories that you can customize. For example all of the supplies we download, create, and/or buy I have just recently categorized as either embellishments, templates, papers, type, etc. Then when I want to see one or more of these across now numerous directories, I check that box in categories and Poof! they appear before my eyes!

There's even a slimmed down version you can get for a special type of USB thumb drive called a U3 device--simply means it can run applications installed on it on any machine you plug it in to--way helpful when you are bouncing between machines!

So even though I've seen more of Adobe Bridge recently at a seminar, for now I'm continuing with ACDSee and it's many many features and ease of use.